At Ingersoll Place Assisted Living and Memory Care, it’s easy to be swept up in the excitement of the holiday season and energized by the hope and promise of a new year. Beautiful decorations, lively social gatherings and delicious food have helped keep everyone’s spirits high even as the darker, colder days of winter were upon us. Many of our residents (and their families) have repeatedly told us how much easier and enjoyable it is to get through the long winter months at Ingersoll Place than it was at home. Gone are feelings of isolation and loneliness or worries about getting to the grocery store. “If you want to enjoy life,” says one of our longtime residents, “you should be living at Ingersoll.”

So, here we are, a few weeks into January and the power of positivity is still going strong due, in no small measure, to the outstanding efforts of Activities Director Christina Benardo and her dedicated staff. Residents are already looking forward to shopping trips, outings at local restaurants and a rejuvenating spa day. Activities like these not only represent a long-awaited return to normalcy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, they also help keep “winter blues” at bay and the timing couldn’t be better!                         

Many people experience “winter blues” this time of year. Less sunlight, post-holiday letdown and frigid temperatures that keep us indoors may contribute to a lack of energy, fatigue, emotional ups and downs and sleep problems. For most people, the symptoms are mild; they don’t last very long or interfere with activities of daily living. Other individuals, however, may have a more serious form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that’s triggered by a change in seasons, usually when fall starts. Like other forms of depression, there are effective treatments for SAD that include antidepressant medications, light therapy and psychotherapy. There are also a variety of self-help tools that can help keep the milder “winter blues” at bay (see our list below).  It’s also important to remember that we all have ups and downs but anyone with sustained feelings of sadness or depression, or other changes in emotional and physical wellbeing – regardless of the season – should be evaluated by their health care providers. For information about winter blues and SAD, visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Six Ways to Beat the Winter Blues at Ingersoll Place

1. Spend the Winter With Us – Make Ingersoll Place your winter destination and enjoy all of the benefits that our year-round residents receive: personalized attention and care 24-hours-a-day, chef prepared meals, transportation services and so much more.
2. Be Active – All residents are encouraged to participate in and have easy access to the diverse array of programs and special events that appear in the monthly Activities Calendar.
3. Light Up Your Life – The blazing fireplace in Ingersoll’s main lobby and the soaring glass atrium provide a light-filled gathering space for relaxing, reading and socializing with friends.
4. Laugh More – There is extensive scientific proof that laughter really is good medicine. It brings people together, helps reduce stress and triggers feel-good chemicals in the brain. (Re-runs of the “I Love Lucy Show” are always a big hit!)
5. Move & Groove – In addition to daily exercise sessions which take place every morning, there’s a 30-minute workout every afternoon at 2.
6. Stimulate Your Senses – Listen to music, be expressive with mindful coloring, choose a new nail polish or something new on the dinner menu and even if you’ve never played poker, pool or Bingo, give it a try.

For information about Ingersoll Place, contact Claire Oliver, Director of Marketing and Sales, at 518-370-4419, ext. 303.